Hola, amigos! Unfortunately, I am writing this blog from the US. I woke up wanting rice, beans, and fresh fruit for breakfast, but settled for a Nutrigrain bar. You see, I recently returned from an intersession program in Costa Rica, and haven’t been able to leave the habits I picked up in Costa Rica behind.
The time I spent studying abroad in Costa Rica is something that I'll remember for a lifetime. I learned so much about the people and their way of doing business. For example, Costa Rican's run on "tico" time; this means they are laid back and aren't always prompt. This country has a work to live mindset, much different than the live to work mindset held by many people in the states.
Costa Rica is a beautiful place. I love that it is so diverse, due to its location. One side of the country has the Caribbean Sea, while the other borders the Pacific Ocean. This allows you to experience many different environments, without traveling out of the country. Our tour guides Fernando and Gabi were amazing. Fernando went above and beyond to ensure we learned about the culture and pushed us to try Costa Rican food and drinks. Gabi was able to get us into places most people don't get to experience, such as the Costa Rican Congress. While there, we were able to meet a congressman and tour the building. The lecturers were very interesting as well; I really enjoyed learning about the differences in business between the US and CR.
Costa Rica is a beautiful place. I love that it is so diverse, due to its location. One side of the country has the Caribbean Sea, while the other borders the Pacific Ocean. This allows you to experience many different environments, without traveling out of the country. Our tour guides Fernando and Gabi were amazing. Fernando went above and beyond to ensure we learned about the culture and pushed us to try Costa Rican food and drinks. Gabi was able to get us into places most people don't get to experience, such as the Costa Rican Congress. While there, we were able to meet a congressman and tour the building. The lecturers were very interesting as well; I really enjoyed learning about the differences in business between the US and CR.My favorite part of the trip was all of the outdoor activities. Whitewater rafting/tubing, zip-lining, horseback riding, visiting a hot spring, and deep sea fishing were all amazing experiences. I would definitely recommend an intersession program in Costa Rica to anyone that is considering it. You learn a lot about the culture, while having fun... oh and let’s not forget the school credit! Dr. Lanier, aka "Master P" is a great professor to go with. She made the trip interesting and was very involved. I fell in love with the Costa Rican culture and will definitely be visiting the country in the future. Until then, buenos noches, America.
My favorite part of the trip was all of the outdoor activities. Whitewater rafting/tubing, zip-lining, horseback riding, visiting a hot spring, and deep sea fishing were all amazing experiences. I would definitely recommend an
Elizabeth Domingue is an MBA student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She participated in an intersession program in Costa Rica.